joshua james week

Since I'm getting ready to start school again this week, I thought I'd ring in the new year and new semester by showcasing one of my favorite artists. I posted about him yesterday and have before, but I'm just going to post several of my favorite songs by him. He's not very well known, but I believe he definitely deserves the attention.


"The Garden". Favorite part of this song - haunting lyrics, bass notes on guitar, awesome harmonica solo

winter storm

Things have been quite unusual here in Tucson, wouldn't you agree?
Here's a shot of the SNOW on the mountains from yesterday - so beautiful!!!

I keep being reminded of song by Joshua James called "Winter Storm". Here's the album version on YouTube, but they have a chunk of the song live with an awesome dobro echoing the background.

Ireland on Christmas Eve

On the website called Irish Fireside, about Ireland and Irish travel, they posted some lovely pictures of a woman's trip to Ireland.

Enjoy here :)

If only we were staying in one of those lovely little cabins this Christmas Eve...

home again

This is the view outside. Snowing lightly and cold - absolutely lovely...

this is how the past week has felt

like it was painted around the inside of my head, on my eyelids and such.

It has been such an utterly exhausting week...you know how there's that little bit of anxiety to push you through finals week? Well, for some reason, I don't have that and I'm not sure if I'm going to make it...

Pray for energy, to let go of doing too much, and space...

thanks y'all...

video expressions of thanks to God

I am so grateful for how God has showed up this week, spreading his mercy over me and my students. I really wanted to post Derek Webb's "We Come to You", but it's not on YouTube :(

But these were the other songs that I was thinking about today:

changing gears

this song is only slightly different from my last post (sarcasm).

but his lyrics are very interesting and his music intrigues me, which is intriguing in and of itself because I don't really like hip-hop...

louis armstrong and danny kaye clip

i watching White Christmas, so I thought i'd check out some other danny kaye videos and found this awesome clip

it's actually winter here

i just went for a walk to the humane society and look at what it was like outside...



That's right folks! 42 DEGREES!!! I was totally legit in wearing my fleece, puffy vest, a scarf, hat, with some crappy mittens, and still being cold!!!

BAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!! i love it when it's cold outside.

My sister, bro, and i usually take walks in the winter, so it was lovely to get outside with Jesus and just hang out. I also put away the fall stuff and got out the Christmas stuff - yeaH!

Hope you can enjoy Tucson's cold weather!

happy thanksgiving

(notice the title of the file) - oh nataliedee

i am very grateful for awesome food, awesome friends, my job that I love, and an amazing God who is with me

The Weepies live - heck friggin yes

Yes, they were amazing. Their sound was impeccable, produced by their very awesome gear. They also tons of BEAUTIFUL guitars (open body Gibson electric, gorgeous Taylor, telecaster, Les Paul) and a really fun drummer.

Though it was super late last night, I'm so grateful - I prayed this morning begging God for help to get through the day, and he didn't have to because it was my own dang fault I was so tired - but he helped me have a super awesome day and really enjoy my students :)

So here's one of their music videos...

a weekend with The National

This weekend I basically did 3 things: designed the curriculum for the new classes I'm going to teach next year, baked pies, and listened to The National.

I've spent 7 hours designing my new courses and about 5 hours baking yesterday, all the while listening to The National. I knew they were good, but I had never spent a ton of time listening to them. Does that ever happen to you? Where you respect a band, know they're incredible, but haven't arrived at the place where you're jamming out to them?

Well this weekend I made up for it.

So here's a few songs from them...such amazing musicians!

Portland Cello Project

I saw this band with Laelia during Tucson's first Second Saturdays Downtown - they were spectacular.

This is their new-ish video for their song "Denmark". It's so beautiful, powerful, inspiring, and yet soothing - listen to it...and then listen to it again.

Tucson is a Science City

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An article from the Star about Tucson's science heritage. Fun to read, but explains a lot about our punky attitude here in town..

carla morrison

Carla Morrison is awesome indie musician from Mexico. She guest DJed for NPR and played some great songs, including a few of her own. It's a great listen.

at the botanical gardens

tracy and i hung out and read our Bibles at the botanical gardens today. it's only about 67 degrees outside, and it was so freaking awesome. we read hunks of isaiah and psalms and i love it when i can feel Jesus right there with us, and he totally was today.

i'm very grateful for his presence these days...and the cool weather....

it's 56 degrees outside

heck friggin' yes. thank you God for answering my prayers.



so I sat outside and read my Bible, while I drank a cubano I made at the Sage and listened to Bon Iver.

what a glorious evening...

it's not winter

but I feel like I've jumped straight past fall and am longing for winter...so there's your explanation for the snowy background. tucson has just started to feel like fall, but it snowed at my parent's house in indiana this weekend - crazy!

Our Favorite Signs at the Rally to Restore Sanity :: Blogs :: List of the Day :: Paste

Our Favorite Signs at the Rally to Restore Sanity :: Blogs :: List of the Day :: Paste

so funny...

go see WAITING FOR SUPERMAN

a few little previews...

Ever wonder where the phrase "shotgun!", as in riding with the driver, came from?

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a shotgun messenger was a private "express messenger" and guard, especially on a stagecoach but also on a train, in charge of overseeing and guarding a valuable private shipment, such as particularly the contents of a strongbox (on a stagecoach) or safe (on a train). The express messenger for stagecoaches typically rode in a seat on top of the coach, next to the driver. In the Old West of the 1880s, if a stagecoach had only a driver and no Wells Fargo messenger, this meant the coach carried no strongbox, and was thus a less interesting target for "road agents" (bandits).

Wells Fargo Co. express messengers typically carried a short (or sawed-off) 12- or 10-gauge double-barrelled shotgun, loaded with buckshot. This was a most effective weapon in use against pursuing riders. Such weapons were sometimes referred to as "messenger shotguns" or, more commonly, "coach guns" (a name still used today). To some extent these weapons also carried over to use by private guards in trains with strongboxes or safes, where they were again effective.

Like "gunslinger", the actual term "riding shotgun" first appeared in fiction about the Old West, dating back as far as the 1905 book The Sunset Trail, by Alfred Henry Lewis^[1]. See also "calling shotgun" which dates from use in autos to about 1954, at a time it was being used in the popular TV series Gunsmoke.

Happy Halloween!

my favorite part is that it says "tube sock full of nickels" - nataliedee is so funny :)

this halloween i'm feeling a little sick. bummer...

however, this morning moriah, tracy, and i had pumpkin pancakes (woohoo!), followed by moriah and i going up the mountain and seeing gorgeous fall in all its glory. i really do miss it...

but i have felt very unmotivated to be festive. i think it's a result of me working a lot, but i didn't even buy a pumpkin this year. oh well...

hahahahahahahaha

so awesome.

I haven't felt inspired

to write about anything...

but maybe in the lull, you could join me in praying for one of my students. I'm really tight with him and his family, and they're going through some VERY rough times. Here's a funny picture of him. :) Such a dork... I'm not gonna post him name, but just pray for F and his family. I'm really begging God to show up for them right now.

it's fall in the midwest

Nataliedee.com is an online comic from a woman who lives in Columbus, OH (where my sis lives). My sis has said it's been PERFECT there...highs in the low 70s - AHHHHHH. And while I'm super jealous, this weekend was gorgeous and we didn't have our swamp on! WOW!

So I had to post today's nataliedee comic, because Sue and I were discussing this is exactly how we feel these days about our clothes...

keats

So, most of you know I am but a faithful romantic. I watched the movie "Bright Star" about the life of John Keats (don't watch it though...it's beyond heartrending...unless you are very comfortable weeping to excess).

But despite how broken and despairing his life was, his work is utterly beautiful. I wanted to post a few things, because I adore how he thinks about autumn, nature, and love. I don't think the state of love he is in and writes of is sustainable, but there is no denying its beauty.

here's a letter to his fiance -

My Sweet Girl,
I hope you did not blame me much for not obeying your request of a Letter on Saturday: we have had four in our small room playing at cards night and morning leaving me no undisturbed opportunity to write. Now Rice and Martin are gone I am at liberty. Brown to my sorrow confirms the account you give of your ill health. You cannot conceive how I ache to be with you: how I would die for one hour - for what is in the world? I say you cannot conceive; it is impossible you should look with such eyes upon me as I have upon you: it cannot be. Forgive me if I wander a little this evening, for I have been all day employed in a very abstract Poem and I am in deep love with you - two things which must excuse me. I have, believe me, not been an age in letting you take possession of me; the very first week I knew you I wrote myself your vassal; but burnt the Letter as the very next time I saw you I thought you manifested some dislike to me. If you should ever feel for Man at the first sight what I did for you, I am lost. Yet I should not quarrel with you, but hate myself if such a thing were to happen - only I should burst if the thing were not as fine as a Man as you are as a Woman. Perhaps I am too vehement, then fancy me on my knees, especially when I mention a part of your Letter which hurt me; you say speaking of Mr Severn "but you must be satisfied in knowing that I admired you much more than your friend." My dear love, I cannot believe there ever was or ever could be any thing to admire in me especially as far as sight goes - I cannot be admired, I am not a thing to be admired. You are, I love you; all I can bring you is a swooning admiration of your Beauty. I hold that place among Men which snub-nosed brunettes with meeting eyebrows do among women - they are trash to me - unless I should find one among them with a fire in her heart like the one that burns in mine. You absorb me in spite of myself - you alone: for I look not forward with any pleasure to what is called being settled in the world; I tremble at domestic cares - yet for you I would meet them, though if it would leave you the happier I would rather die than do so. I have two luxuries to brood over in my walks, your Loveliness and the hour of my death. O that I could have possession of them both in the same minute. I hate the world: it batters too much the wings of my self-will, and would I could take a sweet poison from your lips to send me out of it. From no others would I take it. I am indeed astonished to find myself so careless of all charms but yours - remembering as I do the time when even a bit of ribband was a matter of interest with me. What softer words can I find for you after this - what it is I will not read. Nor will I say more here, but in a postscript answer anything else you may have mentioned in your letter in so many words - for I am distracted with a thousand thoughts. I will imagine you Venus tonight and pray, pray, pray to your star like a Heathen.

Yours ever, fair Star,
John Keats

Check out this article found on the Daily Star

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I love the videos

City of Sorrows

This song has always hit me, probably because I love the book of Jeremiah and this song describes a lot of what Jeremiah ends up talking about. Yesterday I ended up listening to a lot of Fernando Ortega and Waterdeep as I tried to pray about where God is taking me, and this song, along with several others, really seemed to illustrate where my heart's been. I long for redemption and healing for Tucson and its people. I love the mission of the Village and am excited about seeing it expand.



I couldn't upload an mp3 because blogger doesn't like that, so I had to set it to pictures. In general, I always find these cheesy, but there were no youtube videos of this song, so I just threw in pictures of my students from last year so you could hear the song. I would like to re-write it at some point, because I like the imagery of his lyrics. I also had to make the movie very, very tiny, otherwise it wouldn't load...so just listen to the lyrics...

up the mountain

I went up the mountain yesterday to spend time with God and to check on the progress of the fall leaves. The leaves were mostly still green, but it was an AWESOME time with God...and it was cold!!! AHHHHH!!!! I really miss fall....

Here's some pictures -

red leaves coming

woodpecker holes

my faithful chariot

cleansing

you know those clothes in your closet that you say, "Wow, I never wear that anymore...I should get rid of it...but what if I want to wear it sometime? Maybe I should keep it..." yeah, you know those...

Well, today I was finally fed up with all those clothes taking up so much room in my closet and getting in my way as I look for things to wear in the morning, so I decided they had to go! And after taking them all out - it added up to 3 trash bags full of clothes!!!! WOW. I feel like such an American, but hopefully someone will be psyched about finding some nice clothes that I just never wore.

If you're thinking how you have tons of clothes or STUFF just taking up space, get rid of it!!! It's really freeing :)

today was much better

I mean check out the weather



On such a glorious day as this, i planned on having some time with God by driving out and praying at the San Xavier Mission - with the weather like this - it was perfect. Sadly, they closed a little early, but it's so close to school and just so dang gorgeous with it's new restoration, that it was totally worth it.

this is how i felt today

looking at this picture makes me want a pumpkin...or able to be outside in the cooler weather with grass...

the air conditioning was broken today, and i had to stay up late grading, so i didn't get to bed til 12:30.

It was great to talk with people at church about mission and life, and then to grade outside around 11:30 with the rain coming down, but the "oh my gosh if my students don't hush up, I'm literally going to kill them" part of the day wasn't so merry....very, very, VERY cranky...

Read this!

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I love these kids and very much dislike Tom Horne...

new video to be obsessed with

here's another song they play on Spanish radio ALL the time, so it gets stuck in my head...I think the video's weird (I don't like the idea of kids that small "dating" - perhaps it's seeing the aftermath in high school), but again, I just like the Spanish

"fall is here" cake

I watched the movie Waitress and made this cake as part of my afternoon/evening with God. In the movie she made pies based on what was happening in her life and gave them wacky titles like, "Lonely in Chicago Pie" or "I Don't Wanna Have No Baby Pie".

Well I can't bake pies...so I made a cake :)

It's my "Fall is Here Cake". It's a chocolate-spice cake with cinnamon-clove fudge chocolate frosting. Hope it's good!

Sorry the picture is crappy. My camera is MIA, so I was forced to use the computer's camera which is really poor in low lighting.

martin luther king jr.

I'm writing a recommendation letter for a student. The scholarship is for students who demonstrate the characteristics of Martin Luther King, Jr., so I thought I'd look some quotes of his to inspire my writing.

If you have never listened to any of his speeches, or read his writing - DANG. I haven't read anything as an adult, so it was rather inspiring to watch this...

my students are so cool

I'm sitting here in my classroom during my prep, utterly exhausted, but so grateful for the joy that Jesus has given me in my job.

For so long, I wanted to be an astronomer, yet loved people and felt so conflicted. Then teaching came up in college, and now I get to teach the subject I love...how God knew what he was doing with me.

This week's been awesome so I wanted to share it with you:

I started teaching two of my students at home last week, because they have injuries and need extra help. So yesterday, I went with one of my students to Eegees, we worked on geometry and history, and just bummed. It was so fun!

Then today, two of my students from last year - Eddy and Jordan - come in to my classroom. They stop by often, and to be honest, I have greatly missed my kids from last year...though I am having more fun with my students from this year...

OK so Eddy and Jordan walk in. Eddy is usually a very silly, joking guy, but he walks up all serious and says, "Miss, I was watching this special on Oprah" WHAT??? First off, that's freaking hilarious. Eddy is not the kind of guy to watch Oprah. Anyways, he continues, "and the special was all about teachers and I was thinking a lot about it, and we both (him and Jordan) had to come and tell you - you're the best teacher ever. We miss you a lot this year and we just wanted to say we really appreciate all you've done"

AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW - how cute are they!!?!?!?!?!?!? How blessed am I to have my students come tell me things like that!!! I didn't know what to say, but gave them hugs, told them I was grateful, that I loved them, and that I was so proud of them. It was just such a coooool moment! :)

Amidst the first few weeks of school feeling so brutal, I finally feel like I'm not being run over by one of those cement-smoothing trucks, and it's all God. I've been asking him for help, to give me the capacity I need, to help me enjoy the kids like he does and to really see them, and he's been so gracious in providing that. I was reading a Henri Nouwen book last week about how compassion leads to joy - it seems that this week he has really been allowing me to experience that.

So thanks for all your support everybody, for your prayers and fellowship, and I feel like I should say a toast so...a virtual toast! - Here's to the God of all good and to Jesus his Son- who came, who lived the most compassionate, beautiful, and sacrificial life - thanks be to him that he was here, and that he's given us his Spirit to be here with us now, helping us to live into such a remarkable life as his.

i'll admit it

Everyone has their guilty pleasure - a terrible band that they secretly like. Ok, so I will now admit in public, for all the internet to see, that amidst all the great musicians I am proud to say I am a fan of, that I also very much enjoy listening to some of the music of Enrique Iglesias. It's true...I'll admit it.

However, while you're laughing, and before you judge to harshly - he has been awarded TONS of awards for his music and was the first artist to perform a song in Spanish on Letterman. And people all over the world love him! My cab driver in Singapore was listening to Iglesias in Spanish when he drove us to the airport :)

Now granted, I'm not a fan of the fakey-drama in his music or the EXTREME pop-ness of it. But I like the songs in Spanish and the passion in Latino music.

So here's a song by him about his jacked up relationship with his dad, which I've enjoyed listening to on repeat. "Quizas" means "Perhaps"

colgando en tus manos

i've been listening to spanish radio a lot to try and improve my language skills. this comes on a lot, so it's stuck in my head now and i thought i'd share it with you :)

i want it to look like this outside

take 2

The Tallest Man on Earth @ Congress this WED

he's freaking awesome. he was one of the few artists who was a constant soundtrack on the big roadtrip this summer.

Congress, Wed. night, $14. I'M SO STOKED!!!

tis a grande day

i woke up this morning and i was cold, actually, freezing...

i wore a jacket to school this morning (ok, it was 5:45, but still!)

i got a pumpkin spice latte :)

my kids destroyed a pinata in class and we ate candy

it was a good day at school

FALL IS COMING!!!

i heart nataliedee

oh heck yes

It was a very good day :) And here's the random list o' why -

• I found out Cristian is getting out of the hospital tomorrow - AHHHH :)
• It rained!!! Lovely enough, but then I decided to go play in the rain, like I often do, and some students joined me - two adorable sophomore girls. Then all these students kept coming up to me being all like, "You're the coolest teacher ever!" Who knew my love of precipitation would get me such street credit? :)
• One of my co-workers proposed at the football game tonight. During half-time, all the students started sitting down and you could tell they were passing around things...weird, but whatever. Then I see one of the younger teachers I know with the microphone, and as he starts talking about how he loves his girlfriend, he goes down on one knee and the kids hold up signs saying, "Will you Marry Me?" So cute!!!! She said yes :)
• To top it off I came home and watched this kinda dorky chick flick set in Minnesota, and it reminded me a lot of Indiana. A good and a bad thing...but it had Harry Connick, Jr. in it, and since I saw him in concert this summer, it was super fun to watch :)
  

coolest music "video" EVER

Another reason why I am obsessed with the Arcade Fire.

enter this into a Google Chrome window - it only works in Google Chrome, probably on a computer, not a handheld

http://www.thewildernessdowntown.com/

follow directions and SIT IN AWE

Sorry so long, needed to process the evening

Adorable boys, aren't they? These 3 are my students from last year.

So far this year, I am greatly enjoying my new students, but not clinging to them quite as strongly as my students from last year. I hear that's typical of 2nd year teachers, that they miss they're first class of students, and while I LOVE my students now, it's still kinda true.

Of course I see my old students at school, or some visit, but I miss seeing them everyday - all together.

I found out yesterday that my student on the left, Cristian, was in a car accident on Sunday, and another current student of mine - Jeanette - was also in the car.

My heart stopped.

After going to a funeral last week for a 5 year old, this was the last thing I wanted to hear.

Yesterday, I tried to go see them, but weren't taking visitors.

Today I went home, baked about 100 chocolate-chip cookies for them and their families, and headed to the hospital.

I HATE the hospital - every time I go it reminds me of my grandpa...of seeing my grandpa wither from the strong, loving, passionate man he was to the shell of a man his injuries crippled him into...and then of course of the last time I saw him alive - at the hospital.

My two recent trips have landed me in the PICU - the pediatric intensive care unit. And let me tell, there is not a more heartbreaking place in the world...except maybe at the funeral of a child...sadly, I have now experienced both.

Every time I go in or hear a heart-breaking story from one of my students, my first thought is, "I don't know how God stands it. How can he stand to see us so broken, so hurting- how can us he love us so greatly, keep his heart open and fighting for us? How does the pain not utterly destroy him???"

I walk into the rooms, being led by a parent or a nurse, turn a corner and see these boys I love, laugh with, and pray for, laying in their hospital beds with giant machines surrounding them, hooked up to a THOUSAND tubes.

And your heart just about stops in your chest.

Today I walk into the room, being led by a nurse, turn a corner, and see him lying there. I can't imagine what it feels like to be a parent - I felt so utterly helpless - what if it was my own kid?

Cristian has these big, gorgeous, hazel eyes, with the longest eye-lashes you've ever seen. Seriously - ever in your life. As I walked into his room, those big eyes looked up at me, smiled, and never being so happy to hear my name said outloud, he held open his hand. Cristian plays volleyball, so he's very athletic and to sit there in his hospital room, holding his thick hand with 3 tubes running out of it, was one of the most precious moments of my life.

God has been pursuing me so hardcore, telling me I can't take of myself and that he's going to do it. I often run from being too emotionally connected - there's too much risk of getting hurt and it's too dang scary. Sitting there holding the hand of a 16 year old boy, I realized how much I have been missing out on. What a small event, but to be able to be there for him, to see him reach out to me for love and care, made me realize how much it matters to God that I do the same. I saw how simple it was for Cristian, and yet how brave he is. I always noticed his big heart for his friends and family, and in that moment I saw a heart unafraid of being loved and taken care of - and it was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen.

I felt something very similar when I visited my student last year in the hospital, but I was never able to put it to words.

I then went to see my current student. I haven't known her as long, so it was not quite as emotional of an experience for me, but still very jarring. She's been in a coma and just started coming out of it. She was asleep when I got there, but almost unrecognizable from the swelling. I got to meet her mom and friend, and it was good to chat with them, and to them how much I admired Jeanette and what a great student she was. She's SUCH a beautiful girl.

How strange...God has given me this remarkable gift and responsibility to stand in for him at my school. However, this year I've felt more disconnected...please join me in begging God for his heart and eyes for my students.

I have been weeping since I left the hospital, but I figure that's a good thing. I don't want to be numb. I have lived most of my life that way. I want to be alive, to be connected to life and passion, even if that means pain is always with me.

If you read this far, way to go - that was a super long story - but thanks for giving me the space to process and share :)

this song, along with another from the same artist, kept coming to mind - so here's a video of him singing one of my favorite songs...

cool, yet slightly creepy, video from pitchfork

heck yes

Moriah got this album recently from a friend who accidentally gave it to her. hehehe....really, she didn't steal it.

We both agree it is the best Elton John album. I remember singing these songs when I was kids as I drove around on tractors to exercise my steers - oh funny memories :) In the meantime, we just need to acquire a record player to listen to it.

Currently, there is a torrential thunderstorm happening, and they have been all week. I utterly LOVE thunderstorms, and am so grateful to God that they've been happening this week.

It's been so cool outside...such a nice break from the heat. And right now, there is thunder shaking the house...

winter deluge

this picture [by protten] is beautiful and perfectly describes the past week.

an amazing little boy - Zac Clark - passed away a week ago. He was one of Coleen's kids that she worked with. She was practically a part of their family...

So Coleen flew in for the funeral, which last Tuesday and Wednesday, and I took her to the airport this morning.

It was good to go with her - as good as it can be to go to the funeral of a 5-year old boy...to watch his family weep...and to sit there and weep with them.

But it was super good to hang out with her, and then to continue the sadness, it was super hard to drop her off at the airport. But my co-workers were great when I came in crying this morning :)

Besides that, I spent 4 hours at Cafe Passe grading and journaling, and I'm so grateful because it was so rich. Then God kept up the goodness and gave us tons of rain and a lovely cloudy, cool day. I went for a bike ride around the Rillito and am now grading...

...pray for hope...

once

i think God knew better... I got the movie this week to watch in Netflix and didn't really feel like watching it...

Well let's just say that with this past week, Once is the PERFECT movie.

I'm watching it now, laughing, crying and being grateful that there's a God to take care of this very messed up, broken world - and all of our broken hearts in it

and on a lighter note...

hahahahahahahahahahaha

Confusion of Tongues: Gustave Dore

So I've been thinking about Eric's sermon this week [which is true, but addendum, him talking about the Tower of Babel was from him reading from the children's Bible :) ] and then I found this picture...

Eric talked about how people were trying to build a tower to reach God, to be like God, and to ultimately try to "be" God as much as they could. They didn't want to be humble and admit that they were human, that they couldn't control everything and handle life on their own. I can't imagine the panic. All of sudden, no one around you understands you, and you can't understand anyone else. You're lost, frustrated, confused, and utterly freaking out. How do you get food? How do you barter with people for supplies? How do you talk to your friends?

I've been thinking about how I generally think I can pretty much handle myself. I mostly raised myself, besides the finances, and I think I get along pretty well. "Sure God, chime in whenever you want, but I'm mostly good" - this is my general attitude I think...

However lately, things have been falling apart - The Rosetta Stone software (losing money), my CD player breaking in my car, my Mac charger isn't working tonight, last night iTunes wouldn't play, the fridge was left open and all our food is spoiled, bills, debt, bills, I spilled my latte down my emergency break this morning, I feel like I'm disappointing a lot of people, the buttons on my phone aren't working, my car needed to be fixed last week (more money), my new CD player at home from Cori isn't liking my CDs....

All of these things separately are not a big deal - but together - they're starting to wear on me. And when I say "wear", I mean GRATE - like 10 grit sandpaper on a carpet burn.

I'm realizing how much I work to control my surroundings so they are comforting and work for me. I do worship being comfortable. I like my music working, my electronics to be fully functional....I don't like glitches. I hate things that I can't control or fix these things....

I'm not worshiping Jesus - the awesome God who raised people from the dead, who loved the most broken and messed up people, who stood for justice, love, and compassion - but I'm worshiping comfort, control, security, and myself - all the things I generally hate about America and Americans are so ever present in me - ugh.

Save me from myself God...

ramblings

This past month has been rather nuts. Here's my random mental processing of all the things that have happened recently...

• School started. It's been really good so far :)
• Corey and Coleen moved to Seattle
  
• Cori is in process of moving to Seattle.
• Laelia moved to St. Louis
• I haven't been playing music much at all...
• Saw The Swell Season - so fabulous
• Got tickets to see Sufjan Stevens
• My best friend from growing up got married today...I'm very sad I couldn't be there
• I went to yoga for the first time - hahahaha
• I love Tucson and The Village more than ever
  
• Money continues to be my nemesis, but God has been trying to ingrain in my head the phrase "Make the Most of What You Have". To stop spending, wanting more, and just trying to avoid things, but to just use what I have.
  

So for right now...I'm drinking tea from my awesome tea set I got in Vermont and just chilling in my very warm house on a very hot day in Tucson...trying to make the most of what i already have



On a funny sidenote, I had a dream that Glen Hansard did a really terrible ad/music video. It makes me excited that I'm dreaming about musicians that I love :)

and this one

YouTube - Everclear - I Will Buy You A New Life:

i loved this song when it came out. so did my sister.

now listening to it, with all the money issues in my life, i understand where he's coming from...

I'm just gonna pray that Jesus does this...not so much buying me a new life, but making all things new like he promises

this song came to mine

YouTube - Everclear - When It All Goes Wrong Again:

the crappy evening continues...

our cat just climbed into our neighbor's yard, and thankfully, Moriah heard her.

And Afton is, well- let's say, not at all resilient. basically, she MAJORLY freaks out.

So by the time we were trying to get her to grab a blanket to pull her out, she had her tongue hanging out of her mouth, was panting and about to hyperventilate - perfect right?

So then I climbed their fence, handed her to Moriah, and got an arm full of splinters.

i'm trying not to stress out.....it's not working.

so much for craigslist

i feel so dang stupid.

though the box was sealed and packed, the activation code wasn't working.

i called and they said it's because it's already been used.

basically - i've been screwed.

out of a month's worth of rent!!! my fancy new rosetta stone is useless

i'm very mad at him and very mad at myself...now what am i to do to learn spanish???

grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Cool article about Tucson

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A journalist for the Daily Star walked around Tucson for 10 days and wrote about it - really cool!

School starts tomorrow...

So this week has been meetings, getting the classroom together, and more meetings...

I'll post a pic of my classroom soon :) But this year I'm in a new classroom and it's very nice and very exciting!

But for now a random update:

Moriah, Tracy, and I improved in the key of C on the guitar, egg, and and the violin...super fun!

and I just bought this to begin re-learning Spanish


Thanks Jon on craigslist for selling it cheap!

for moriah

two amazing bands play together: horse feathers and the portland cello project

wow.

I'm outside at the Raging Sage eating a piece of Lemon Chiffon Cake with lime buttercream frosting and blueberry accents, drinking a Cubano - all while sitting under an umbrella because its raining and only 73 degrees outside....

wow.

the Rillito is a river

Monsoon season has commenced!

It started about a week or so ago, but between yesterday and today, we've gotten 3 in+ of rain!!!

Tried to go get work done on my tattoo but it didn't work out, so instead we went to University and sat and absorbed the Irish pub feel in the pouring rain...trying to make it feel more like actual Ireland, ya know?

it was wonderful :)

Then we went down to the Rillito River - it might be wash (because does anyone know if wash is just a dry bed or a seasonal river?) and it was RAGING!!! At least 2 ft deep and moving so fast!!!

So dang beautiful.

Was thinking of Isaiah 41 and Isaiah 43

Such beautiful passages...I'm so grateful that's what God's doing in my life: healing, bringing water to help my needs, making rivers and streams in the desert - I'm very grateful for his physical, tangible proof that it can be done :)

oh the beauty of summer

it's FINALLY been raining. i'm so dang thankful...

And now that my roomie's back (YEAHHHHH!!!!!), we went to see a show at Plush - and it didn't matter if we got home early! Woohoo!

Check him out - Nathaniel Rateliff --


The band was exhausted and ill, but they played their hearts out and it was fabulous. They talked to us after the show and it was a lovely, chill, summer evening...

:side note for the musicians: the electric guitarist played a harmonica and miked it through a reverb pedal - very cooool

moving...

there's a lot of moving happening.

i, with awesome help from a friend, moved my entire classroom from either my house or my old classroom into my new classroom. It took about 5 or so hours. WOW.

Laelia is moving to St. Louis.

Coleen and Corey are moving to Seattle.

Cori is moving to Seattle.

my brother is moving to Ohio.

...

there's a lot of moving happening....

in Columbus

Hanging in Columbus, OH, was great. I love that city. Here's some things we did which I highly recommend if you're ever there...

• Go to North Market - HUGE farmers market with flowers, boba tea, coffee, and food from every area of the world. I got Indian food, then some coffee, and a piece of AMAZING rosemary-garlic foccacia bread to go :)
• Eat Jeni's ice cream - with flavors such as Salty Caramel, Thai Chili, Kona Stout, and my personal fav these days...Pistachio & Honey. A Columbus tradition
• Pistacia Vera - the best friggin' Parisian macarons you've ever had (and yes, they spell "macaroons" with one "o". Has been featured on Oprah and utterly amazing...
• Go to my sister's museum! - the Columbus Museum of Art
• Go hang out and walk by the Olentangy River - there's a path that runs along it
• Check a really cool area of town called German Village - really cute shops and authentically German!
• Good coffee - Staufs and Cafe Brioso - so dang good...

This is one of the only cities I could live in if I moved back to the Midwest...

i finally finished

reading all 6 jane austen novels. woo!

with books, i have to be in the zone - if i want to read it and it hooks my attention, then i'll likely read it almost straight through in a short amount of time. however, if it's not particularly engaging, then it will take me eons to read it...i'm not really a "reader"...

Sense & Sensibility was the last one i had to read. I started reading it last night and as the book diverged from the movie, i got more and more interested to see how it ended.

the two sisters in Sense & Sensibility - based on Jane Austen and her real sister, Cassandra

I particularly loved reading this one, as it's written focused on the oldest 2 of 3 sisters. Their demeanor and temperament always reminds of my sister and i - the older more calm, rational, and focused on duty; the younger more emotional, dramatic, and uncompromising in her passions. Both sisters have things in common and sense, but very different - so much like my sister and i!!! so it was fun to read :)

When I finally looked up at the clock, i was so shocked to see 4 am! AHHHH! But by then i HAD to finish it, so i ended up getting into bed around 5 am...the time i'll be getting up once school starts in 2 weeks...

ugh.

And since i've digressed from playing and walking everyday, here's a little report:
Today i played my guitar and mandolin (plugged in, no less) for the first time in a long while...thanks God for a little motivation.

I didn't walk...unless you count walking around Target, and walking downtown to and from the car :) it's just too hot!!!

Setlist revisted

Edit this setlist | More The Swell Season setlists

The show in Tucson was a blend of these two setlists, so I thought I'd post them both. If you go to the actual website, you can see videos of most songs that people posted. I wish I had this for Tucson! If you find it, let me know!

Rivers of Ice

Rivers of Ice

This is a really amazing exhibit featured by the Asia Society. Check it out! Look for the interactive things - really cool, but really sad...

Day 3 - Indy to Columbus, OH

Day 3.

We arose at our hotel in Indy, had breakfast with my parents, and went out to see the city.

It was very nice to be there again...Indy is such a beautiful city. There's a big Civil War monument in the center of downtown and here is one of Laelia's pictures from it

We went to the capitol building and saw this window - gorgeous right?

We hung out for a little while then headed off to Columbus, OH, where my sister lives. We hit some pretty intense rain, but made it there! It was good to be in a semi-familiar city where we could at least stop for a few days. We spent the next 4 days here.

my cat is covered in beer

It was an accident! Sort of...

I was sitting outside eating dinner, when a LARGE, black bug landed just in front of my cat.

Of course, she lept at it and got in her mouth and claws.

If you recall my tale from a few days ago with the tarantula hawk, I didn't know what to do, so I threw my beer on her knowing that she would let go because she HATES to be wet.

Sadly, my cat is now covered in beer...

Oh, and it was a Palo Verde beetle - not a tarantula hawk.

...poor Afton...

i also cut my hair

Here ya go Katrina!

i haven't done many drastic things with my hair - i was nervous, but excited about the change

i also dyed the bottom medium brown

i haven't had bangs in over 10 years - a little scary but I think turned out ok...and if not, my identity is not in how cool my haircut is - right Eric? :)

The Swell Season is freaking awesome

The show was utterly amazing!!! This is a video from last night's show...Glen goes on to say his guitar doesn't like the dry air and the air conditioning...

It was so fun to be there - even the waiting in line part was fun! (We got there at 5, doors opened at 7, opening act at 8, Swell Season at 9)

One of my fav parts is just watching Glen's facial expressions, and the facial expressions of the band in general when they look at each other for ques or to know what's going on :)

They played BEAUTIFULLY and it was friggin awesome...

Songs they played that I can remember (not necessarily in order):

• They opened with a song I didn't know, just Glen and Marketa
• then the whole band - Low Rising (Glen played a SWEET open body Gibson electric)
  
• Back Broke
• In These Arms
• Lies
• Falling Slowly
• What Happens When the Heart Just Stops
• Leave
  
• This Low
• I Have Loved You Wrong
• When You're Mind's Made Up
• If You Want Me
• Say It To Me Now - played unplugged - so freaking awesome!!!
• Gold!!! - I couldn't believe they played this! It was so beautiful!!!
• Into the Mystic (Van Morrison cover)
• Bruce Springsteen cover (forget the title)
• Fantasy Man
• Ended with an Irish folk song :) YEAH!!!

There might be more, but that's all that I can think of. The thing about the Swell Season is that Glen is just such a PASSIONATE performer - the man pours his heart, soul, and body into the music and it's just such an experience to be at their shows...especially when you're leaning on the stage or railing like I was both times I've seen them - heck yes :)

Tiny Desk Concert from NPR

Another Swell Season video to get you in the zone :) This is one of my favorite videos of them



plus, I love hearing Glen talk and seeing his personality in this one - oh Irishmen :)

bummer

NOAA Predicts Drought Conditions in Southwest U.S. to Worsen

July 16, 2010

NOAA’s National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center released its seasonal drought outlook today for the period from August through October. The outlook indicates already dry conditions across parts of Arizona and New Mexico are likely to worsen in coming months. The official outlook calls for current severe drought conditions to persist across north-central portions of New Mexico and northeast Arizona while developing across much of the remainder of Arizona and extreme western parts of New Mexico.

High resolution (Credit: NOAA)

Through mid-July, the summer monsoon has started fairly weak and little rainfall has been observed. The monsoon typically peaks during the month of August. Official Climate Prediction Center precipitation outlooks favor below average precipitation in these areas August through October.

“If the monsoon remains erratic during the next few weeks, then the drought development area may be expanded on the updated outlook scheduled for August 5,” said Wayne Higgins, director of the NOAA Climate Prediction Center.

Factors leading to the forecast of enhanced chances for drier-than-normal conditions in the Southwest during the above periods include coupled ocean-atmosphere global climate forecasts and historical conditions during the late summer when transitioning from El Niño to La Niña.

“Beyond this time period, expected dryness associated with established La Niña conditions may bring further expansion of drought conditions in the Southwest during the 2010-11 winter season,” Higgins said. La Niña may also provide wetter-than-normal conditions in the Pacific Northwest during fall 2010 and winter 2010-2011.

Other important areas highlighted in this outlook include continued severe to exceptional drought conditions across many areas of Hawaii and forecasts for improvement across moderate drought areas in the mid-Atlantic and severe/extreme drought areas of the upper Great Lakes and lower Mississippi Valley respectively.

NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources.

50 New State Songs For the 21st Century :: Blogs :: List of the Day :: Paste

50 New State Songs For the 21st Century :: Blogs :: List of the Day :: Paste

This is a really cool article! - so fun :)

random day

today was a VERY randomly awesome day...

here are the day's big events:

• God blessed me with being able to be in various friend's houses with AC - random, i know, but very wonderful this time of year if you have swamp...

• i played with a super cute 2 year old and i haven't got to be around kids this age 1-on-1 in a long while
• a cute houseplant now graces my desk's presence
• i dyed my hair (half of it)
• i had dinner with most of the Senecans! which is miraculous these days as they've on vacation, out of town, house sitting...and the like...
• i went on a bike ride at sunset - GORGEOUS
• took a dog walking with Emily b to Cori's house, who wasn't actually there
  

But the winner! - the most random, weird event of the day is once again connected to my pets.

i had just got back from my bike ride and the door was kinda open. i often leave the storm door closed, but the main door open so the air can come in. the cats started acting weird and looking under the couch and i thought, "Oh maybe there's another Palo verde beetle like the one they dragged into my room (yes, very gross)"

then a few minutes later i hear one of the cats who can't really meow making weird noises, which she only does if she's chasing something. So I go out into the living room and I see her standing on the edge of the couch attempting to attack this...


and yes, it was that big... It's wings were closed and it was crawling up the blinds with my cats jumping after it. AHHHHH. So I get the broom and usher the fella outside. THANK YOU GOD that it did not fly around.

Then i look it up to figure out what it was and i find this...

"The tarantula hawk is a species of spider wasp which hunts tarantulas as food for its larvae. Up to two inches (50 mm) long with a blue-black body and bright rust-colored wings, tarantula hawks are among the largest of wasps. The coloring on their wings warns potential predators that they are dangerous. Their long legs have hooked claws for grappling with their victims. The stinger of a female tarantula hawk can be up to 1/3 inch (7 mm) long, and delivers a sting which is rated among the most painful in the insect world."

OH MY GOSH.
i should mention here i HATE wasps. HATE...

And i found this about the sting of the sucker -
"Commenting on his own experience, one researcher described the pain as "…immediate, excruciating pain that simply shuts down one's ability to do anything, except, perhaps, scream. Mental discipline simply does not work in these situations." In terms of scale, the wasp's sting is rated near the top of the Schmidt Sting Pain Index, second only to that of the bullet ant and is described by Schmidt as "blinding, fierce [and] shockingly electric"

i should also mention that i hate bugs in general and tend to act like a total girl, becoming very irrational and somewhat paralyzed...good thing i did not look up what it was beforehand, and THANKS SO MUCH GOD it did not sting me or the cats.

Gross, right???